1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in tape dispensers, especially tape dispensers for use with polyester and polypropylene-backed pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes to permit the same to be severed easily and to protect the operator of the dispensers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art dispensers have been known for years for use with a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and the tape is readily dispensed by drawing a length of tape from a convolutely wound roll of tape and moving the same past a severing blade and then springing the blade into contact with the tape to sever the dispensed lengths thereof. This is done by manual dispensers wherein the tape is lifted from a smooth supporting surface on a standard spaced from the roll of tape and pulling by hand to draw the tape from the roll and then placing the tape down against the standard and into contact with the cutting member to transversely sever the dispensed lengths of tape from the remainder of the roll. In most tape dispensers the blade constitutes a sheet metal blade having a severing edge which is conveniently serrated or formed with a plurality of sharp points or teeth to cut the tape backing. These serrated edges or tooth edges are not sufficient however to cut polyester or polypropylene-backed tapes which require that the edges be severed by a sharper instrument. The use of razor blades in a tape dispenser is known except the use of raxor blades necessitates a guard of some sort to prevent one from accidently nicking a finger each time the tape is severed over the blade.
With the increased use of plastic tapes having backing of the strength of polyester and polypropylene it has become a problem to find a blade which may be readily exposed in the cutting position but yet one which will protect the operator and make the dispenser safe to market. Attempts to provide such a dispenser have included the use of a coarse grit sandpaper or similar material at the cutting edge to fracture the edges of the tape such that the same could be torn across the width of the tape. These blades with the coarse grit cause the severed tape to have a very jagged edge, resulting in a poor appearance for the severed length of tape.